Don’t build a marketing house of sticks
Key illuminated insight
Too many companies rush into marketing execution without building a solid strategy—like the two little pigs who built houses of straw and sticks. To avoid your marketing being blown away, you need to:
Research your market
Develop clear ICPs
Craft a UVP that resonates
Align all teams around this strategy
This turns your marketing into a house of bricks—solid, unified, and built to last.
Step into full illumination
Once upon a time, three little pigs set out to build their homes. The first pig, eager to get started, built his house from straw. It was quick, easy, and looked just fine from the outside. The second pig opted for sticks—slightly stronger, but still not enough to withstand a strong gust of wind.
The third pig took his time. He laid a strong foundation and built his house from bricks, layer by layer. It took effort and patience. But when the big bad wolf came, only the brick house stood strong against the huffing and puffing.
In marketing, we often see companies acting like the first two pigs. They rush into campaigns, ads, and flashy social posts—marketing houses made of straw and sticks. It looks good on the surface but crumbles under pressure.
A downturn in the market? A competitor’s new product? An unaligned sales team? Just like the big bad wolf, any of these can blow down a marketing strategy that’s built on a weak foundation.
So how do you build a marketing house of bricks?
Understand your market
It starts with research. Understanding your market—where you fit, what your competitors are doing, and what your customers really need—lays the first brick.
Develop your ideal customer profiles
Then comes developing your Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs). Knowing exactly who you’re building for ensures every message, every campaign, every dollar spent is targeted and effective.
Craft your unique value proposition
The next layer is crafting your Unique Value Proposition (UVP). It’s not just a slogan; it’s the promise that answers your customer’s pain points. Without it, your house of bricks has no doors or windows—just walls with no entry point.
Align your entire team from the top-down
Finally, it’s not enough for the marketing team to live in this house. Sales, product, leadership—every single team member—needs to share in building it. A house of bricks is only strong when every part of the organization is aligned and telling the same story.
Otherwise, you’ll find yourself with a marketing house of sticks—fragmented, misaligned, and easily toppled.
So, before you put another ad in market, ask yourself: is your marketing built like a house of bricks—or is it one gust away from collapse?